Improvement in puddling-furnaces



UNITED STATES PATENT QEEIGE.

EZRA RILEY, OF PONTNEWYNYDD, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN PUDDLING-FURNACES.

rSpecification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,301, dated September 30, '1873; application tiled September 9, 1873.

To all u-hom it may concern: i

Be it known that I, EZRA RILEY, of Pontnewynydd, in the county of Monmouth, England, have invented certain Improvements in Puddling-Furnaces, and in apparatus and appliances connected therewith, of which the following is a specification:

The object of this invention is to reduce the extreme manual labor now attending the production of wrought-iron in the puddlinglfurnace, at the same time to improve the quality of the iron so produced; to increase the yield or percentage; to increase the mass of iron worked upon at a time, and to reduce the time occupied in puddling; and, in order that the nature of this my invention may be fully ascertained, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, of whieh- Figure lis a side elevation of the puddlin gfurnace; Fig. 2, a horizontal section Fig. 3, a longitudinal section; Fig. 4, a vertical-seetion, and the rest of the figures refer to details connected with the furnace and tools for workin g it. v

Similar letters refer to like parts in all the figures.

The body or hearth of the furnace, which ordinarily contains the charge of materials to be treated, I make in the shape of a circular revolving pan, A, with the sides B, by preference, slanting, as shown. This pan or bottom A I cause to revolve by any well-known suitable mechanical means, and work it by steam or other power. I prefer, however, to mount the revolving pan A on a vertical shaft, C, which is caused to revolve by means of bevelgear D D, and to support the vertical shaft G in a step, E, and in a collar or neck bearing, G, arranged in a cross-shaped bracket, the bearing being provided with and supported by four legs or arms, H H H H, which stay the lower part of the two opposite back and front outer furnace-plates together. The drivinggear for this revolving pan has two or more motions or speeds worked by friction-clutches, and may also, if desired, be worked from a separate steam-engine or other prime mover, the speed of which is under the direct control of the puddler or man in charge of the furnace. The pan A and parts connected therewith are shown on a larger scale at Fig. 12. The pan A is, at the top, formed with a hanging lip, collar, or flange all around, either cast on or -cast or forged of a separate piece and fastened on. This hanging lip or fiange K dips into a circular trough or cistern, I, which is con-V current of air may be applied., The fettling of the pan is preserved thereby. In order to prevent air from rushing into the pan from between the trough I and the surrounding brick-work, I fasten a flan ge, M, with a hanging lip, M', to the brick-work, all around the trough I, the hanging lip M dipping into the said trough and forming a lute-joint there. The trough may be made to revolve in order to diffuse the heat better. l

The upper edge of the pan A may be cast hollow to form a water-compartment all round, (or a water-pipe may be placed against it,) the Water-compartment so formed being connected to a central tube with an internal tube, and having swivel tube-joints at the bottom of the vertical shaft, and so arranged as to cause a continual circulation of water.

The water-trough I may be made to rise and fall, and to turn by hand, in order to clear out any cinders or scori that may fall into it when the pan is revolved rapidly. For this purpose the arrangements shown on a larger scale at Figs. 5, 6, and 7 may be applied, Fig.. 5 being a horizontal section through the furnace-plates that bind the brick-Work of the furnace together, the other parts of the furnace being left out for the sake of clearness. L is a girder or bracket going across outside over the top of the furnace, and has bearings L' for the shaft N, which carries a pinion, P, at each end. These pinions gear into racks R, which are guided up and down, as shown at Figs. 6 and 7, which are detail views, respectively in plan and elevation, of these parts. Each rack R is fastened onto a circular rim-piece, S, which, with its four rollers, T T T T', bears against the under side and against the outer side of here on Fig. 5, or at both sides.

the trough I, thus carrying it at two opposite sides. The troughIis indicated by two dotted circles on Fig. 5. It simply rests on the lower rollers T T in the rim-pieces, and can thus easily be turned by hand. It is raised or lowered by turning the spindle N by means of a handle on one or both ends, the pinions P revolving, and thereby raising or lowering the racks which are fastened to the rim-pieces.

This puddling-furnace, with exception of the revolving pan or bottom A and the appliances described in connection therewith, is built up and stayed by bolts and plates like the ordinary puddling-furnaces, only that the plates at the back and front of the revolving bottom are cut short below, so as to admit the air freely. An ordinary puddling-furnace can thus easily be converted, fitted, and constructed according to this invention. I also employ the usual furnace-door with rabble-hole inserted, and that either at one side, as shown The brickwork all round the top edge oi' the revolving pan projects, as shown, so as thereby to'protect the pan and its fettling against the heat. I employ several tools or appliances, which I will now describe in connection with the mode of working my puddling-fu'rnace.

During the rst stage of the process I use a tool somewhat similar to the ordinary rabble,

but having a pin, which is caused vto restY against some part of the inside of the rabblehole in order to obtain a hold against the revolving mass of iron in the pan. This tool is shown in side view and plan, Figs. 8 and 9. U is the pin, which is put into one of the holes V, Fig. 5, in the rabble-hole. The iron is thus agitated rapidly while on the boil.

During the boiling of the iron a blast may be used, consisting of a thin, broad, iiat current of air, to be diffused across the surface of the iron, by preference in a slanting direction, toward the neck of the furnace, and from the side opposite to the rabble-hole. When the iron begins to form 7 or drop into nature the speed is reduced as required; and the puddler then makes use of another tool, represented in plan and side view by Figs. l0 and 1l. This tool may be called the plow, because it is formed somewhat in the form of a plowshare, kand causes a complete turning over, breaking up, and clearing of the iron. When thus sufficiently worked the iron is balled in' the usual manner, and that either from one side, as here, or from both sides, and in balls of any required size.

Fig. 18 is a plan, and Fig. l-i a side, view of a staple or guide, which may be used in connection with the tools, and which, when inserted in one of the holes V, serves as a fulcrum when working with one oi' the tools.

And, having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of this my invention, I declare that I claim- 1. A water-vessel and flanges passing into the water, in combination with a revolving puddling-bed, substantially as specified, so as to form a water-lute at the joint, as set forth.

2. In combination with the water-vessel, flanges, and revolving puddling-bed, the means, substantially as set forth, for raising or lowering the trough, for the purposes specilied.

' EZRA RILEY.

Witnesses:

EDWARD DAVIEs,

Soir., Newport, Mon. JOHN A. WILLrAMs,

3 Hill st., Newport, Mon.,

Solicitor@ Clerk. 

